Bagwell appears to be long shot

This could be a crucial week for Jeff Bagwell, who still is having trouble with his right shoulder. He hadn't played more than four innings in a game entering the weekend and took himself out of a game Tuesday after only two innings.

If the 37-year-old Bagwell can't throw well enough to play, the Houston Astros will file an insurance claim to get out of paying most of the $17 million he's owed.

Bagwell says he's not too discouraged, but it's beginning to look like a long shot for his arthritic shoulder to be in shape to be more than a pinch-hitter.

"Our doctors are basically in daily communication with our trainers. ... You see where you stand at the end of the day and you make a plan for the next day," said Astros general manager Tim Purpura, who prepared for Bagwell's unavailability by signing Preston Wilson. "In Jeff's case that's what we've said all along."

Through Friday, Howard was hitting .390 with eight homers and 13 RBIs in 14 games. And he says he's not where he wants to be in April.

"I'm not too far (away)," he said. "There are a couple of things here and there. Timing. Working on identifying some pitches earlier. Hopefully, I'll get back to that form."

Howard isn't getting any special treatment. He had played in all but one of the Phillies' exhibitions, including two bus trips from Clearwater to Fort Myers and another to Kissimmee within a stretch of five days. The team hasn't said why he's getting so little time off but some speculate it's because he came to camp overweight.

But with or without Verlander, the Tigers should be better this season. Lots of people are predicting a big season for Kenny Rogers, who joins Jeremy Bonderman, Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson in the rotation. But Verlander has a chance to make this a really good rotation.

Not wanting to put too much pressure on the 23-year-old, new manager Jim Leyland says he could go with Wil Ledezma, Roman Colon, Jason Grilli and Joel Zumaya in the fifth starter's spot.

"I like his chances down the road," Tigers pitching coach Chuck Hernandez said.

"When that will happen, I don't think any of us will need to answer. We'll just all observe and let the player tell us if the time is right. If the time is not right, it's no sin for him to be pitching down in the minor leagues."

On the road back

Doug Brocail, an 11-year veteran who has pitched for four teams, retired the only three batters he faced for San Diego on March 7. He complained of tightness in his chest afterward and four days later found himself undergoing angioplasty to clear a blocked coronary artery. He's doing fine and hopes to return this season.

Also on the health front, hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo will leave the Rangers next week to be treated for prostate cancer. He's one of the best, and we wish him well.

Whispers

Josh Rupe, whom the White Sox traded in the 2003 Carl Everett deal, appeared in line for a spot in the Texas rotation before being shut down with a sore elbow.

The Rangers have put out feelers for a veteran starter, with Atlanta's John Thomson and Boston's David Wells among those under consideration. . . . Elbow problems caused the Rockies to abandon an experiment that would have shifted Ryan Shealy from first base to the outfield. He's a top hitting prospect but has no way to get at-bats behind Todd Helton. . . . General managers say every team they talk to is searching for left-handed relief. The White Sox's string of left-handed candidates caused one scout to ask another if they handed out uniforms in the parking lot to anyone who is left-handed.

Around the Bases

One major league scout who has been following the Florida Marlins isn't terribly impressed with their young pitching. "What they have is a bunch of fifth starters," he said. The scout said Scott Olsen has had trouble keeping his fastball down and Josh Johnson's velocity sat in the 80s for two straight starts, well down from the 92-94 mph he typically hits,

With Jose Contreras dealing with a sore right elbow, the White Sox are fortunate to have rookie Brandon McCarthy as an insurance policy. The 6-foot-7 McCarthy, subject of so many trade rumors last summer, will work out of the bullpen the rest of this spring in anticipation of a middle relief role. "If I'm still here in this locker room, it's fine with me," said McCarthy, who has always started in the past. "I'll wash the towels, I don't care. I'm at that point now. No more [Triple-A] Charlotte for me, please."

No Rockies starting trio has posted more than 37 wins in a season in club history, that coming in 1999 when they had Pedro Astacio (17-11), Brian Bohanon (12-12) and the late Darryl Kile (8-13). Club officials are hopeful the trio of Jason Jennings, Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook will be the ones to break the curse, but they still must take half their starts at Coors Field.

Padres catcher Mike Piazza is wearing No. 33 instead of his customary No. 31. The reason? That one belonged to Hall of Famer Dave Winfield and has been retired.

White Sox backup catcher Chris Widger on his spring power surge: "I think I had two in 14 years and now I've got three this spring. I don't know what's going on. I'm worried I'm wasting all my power down here."

A Final Thought: Maybe it's time for the Houston Astros' Jeff Bagwell to call it a career.